John McTernan is a commentator and political strategist who works internationally. He was Political Secretary to Tony Blair and most recently was the Director of Communications for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

What is it about education policy that reduces adults to the level of a primary school playground? The publication of the PISA results on education in England (which are deeply disappointing – they show flatlining of standards over the last three years) has resulted in Michael Gove and Tristram Hunt embarking on a heroic bout of hair-pulling. I could faithfully quote their detailed arguments, but it would only bore and anger you in equal measure, so let me summarise:

Gove: "A big boy did it and he ran away."

Hunt: "It wisnae me."

And vice versa, ad nauseam.

The tragedy of this pair of gifted politicians playing politics with PISA is that they actually both know better. Worse, they both agree on what we should be doing to improve education. That's not just because they are both Blairites – though they are, or more correctly they are Adonisites. It's actually because we now know, from worldwide experience, what makes a difference in schools. Some social problems – like obesity – are really hard to solve because we actually have no idea how to influence individuals to change their behaviour beyond banning stuff. But in education hard work and research tells us that the key to success is:

more autonomy for schools

greater power for head teachers

information for parents

choice of schools

better teachers in the classroom

no bullying

As Ronald Reagan used to say, it's not easy, but it is simple. The education debate in England at the moment is an insane fetishisation of minute differences. It would be in the national interest if Gove and Hunt admitted that they actually agree on almost everything.

For example, there is the most ridiculous shadow-boxing about whether or not teachers should be qualified. The actual issue is – are they any good? The debate, for Hunt, is a fig-leaf – if it wasn't for nervousness about the unions and the party he would surely have embraced free schools by now. And Gove is relieved that this is the dividing line because he knows the problem with free schools is that they are too free sometimes. The author of Celsius 7/7 cannot be happy that fundamentalist Islamists can run a state school. The closure of the Al-Madinah School in Derby on "health and safety" grounds was a creative response by the bureaucracy to the Secretary of State's lack of direct powers.

They should agree, above all else, because there is a much bigger fight to have.

The Danish Social Democrats fought – and won – a battle with their teachers' union earlier this year. They locked the teachers out for four weeks in order to lengthen the school day. Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, has won the same battle recently. This is the new frontier for education. Why does it matter? A school day of 9-5 in primary schools is the equivalent of an extra 1.5 years teaching by the time children get to high school. Now, that's a prize worth winning.

But does anyone believe that any British government would be willing to take this issue on? Didn't think so. That's why Gove and Hunt should agree to agree. Here are new worlds to conquer.